Entry for "You always remember your first..."

I have to say that it was the title that really drew me into this nostalgic-trigger challenge, so well done Mr. Timber! (if it's Miss, then sorry! feel free to smack me over the head).

My memory is pretty iffy when it comes to remembering things, but I can definitely recall my first proper fictional crush.

Before the guy I'll write about in this post, I've had many more crushes, but it's just silly to say that 8 year olds fall in love, right? What can that even be classified as, puppy crush?

Anyway, before starting I'd just like to hold a moment of silence (and by that I mean an empty space) for the extremely embarrassing thing I am about to write.

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So, this is how it all started. I think it was during summer break some years ago, when I was bored and decided to play some video games. And I soon fell head over heels for this guy:

Uh, actually, lemme find a better picture... *nervous snicker*

Hang on...
hang on...

There we go:

(I know what you're thinking: bizarro alert!)

Anyway, this is Henry Townsend, protagonist of horror game Silent Hill 4. Those of you who have played the series probably know that anyone who is in a Silent Hill game has to be deranged. And guess what? That's exactly why I love this guy. This will probably sound demented as hell, but the reason I started idolizing him is because I first fell in love with his door.

That's right, his front door. But before you call the doctors with the white jackets that make you look like you're hugging yourself, allow me to explain. I've always been attracted to creepy and bizarre things, I've always loved horror stories and games. So when I happened to find a SH4 wallpaper featuring the door, I just went nuts (just Google the door to see it in all its awesomeness). The door plays a major role in the game, it's locked, shackled, surrounded by heavy chains and padlocks. So the only means of escape for the protagonist is nice and bolted...

But did Henry go crazy and started screaming and flailing his arms like a little girl? No, he stood quiet. Very quiet. And with that started my fascination with him.

I absolutely loved the idea of a character so stoic, so calm, that it becomes creepy. Most fans hate him, simply because he doesn't react in many situation like a normal person should. When faced with death or danger he doesn't run for it, he tries to help, and he does it with the same trademark silence. Some argue that this is the sign of a criminal being born, and you know what? That's just more awesome.

Another, more arrogant, reason why I love (yep, present tense) this guy is because he reminds me of myself. I'm also quiet to the point of spookiness. And together we will fill the world with creepy looks and frighten little children. But I digress.

Another point which interested me about the protagonist is the fact that he was too squeamish to talk to his neighbors. Even to his next door neighbor which to seems to take a liking to him. Characters who blabber too much dispel any mystery which might surround them, so the quiet types are definitely more interesting to explore for me.